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SoCalHoops College Basketball News

UCSB Without Jerry Pimm, For Real--(Oct. 9, 1998)

Jerry Pimm, the long-time coach at UCSB, who was forced to resign after 15 season last year and was replaced by new head coach Bob Williams, originally planned to accept a new job as a "special assistant" to Gaucho AD Gary Cunningham. But on Tuesday, he quit that job too.

According to published reports in the Santa Barbara News-Press, Pimm said "I'm going to retire and/or do other things. `It's been 15 fun years. It was a really great experience at a first class university with really good people. In my tenure, we had seven athletic directors and four chancellors. It was working with a lot of new people. But they were all good people and super supportive of the athletic department. The last six months I have enjoyed assisting Dr. Cunningham, but it wasn't what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. So I chose to go in a different direction."

Cunningham told reporters that the resignation won't affect the settlement that the University and Pimm reached on his coaching contract, which still has two years left. Cunningham told the News-Press that he's "not sure what it is, exactly,'' but it's believed to be close to the $103,000 annual base salary that Pimm was receiving as a coach.

Pimm was expected to help in fund-raising, and this was something that he apparently didn't like. Pimm turned 60 last week. In his coaching career, he compiled a record of 222-202 in 15 seasons at UCSB. He arrived in 1983, after having coached the University of Utah to five NCAA Tournament berths and a 173-86 record in nine seasons. The Gauchos had lost for seven straight years, including three with Pimm, but in his fourth year, 1986-87, Pimm recorded a 16-13 record, the first time UCSB had a positive season in 10 years.

In 87-88, Pimm coached UCSB to their first NCAA Division I Tournament berth in school history, receiving an at-large bid to the NCAA Southeast Regional in Cincinnati. The Gauchos lost in the first round to Maryland, finishing with a 22-8 record - Pimm's best season ever at the school. The Gauchos were led that year by who were led that year by senior guard Brian Shaw.

In 89-90, The team, which was led by guard Carrick DeHart and forward Eric McArthur, beat UNLV, the last time UNLV lost that year before winning the NCAA title. UCSB also went to the dance that year, and beat Houston in the first round, but then lost to Michigan State. Pimm's teams also went to the NIT in 1989, 1992 and 1993.

But last season was just a disaster for both Pimm personally and the Gauchos as a team. Frustrated after five straight losing seasons, the players staged a revolt of sorts, and Pimm was forced out as coach near the end of last year, announcing his resignation with just one game left in a 7-19 season. UCSB ended the year with eight straight losses.

Pimm told the News-Press that he's keeping his options open."We're remodeling a home,'' he said. "I'm going to be doing a little of that. And there are some basketball related opportunities that I might be doing - some announcing, color work and possibly working with one of the pro teams as soon as they get back to work. I am looking forward to the future and I am very proud of the things that the basketball program achieved in the last 15 years and more specifically the 92 percent graduation rate of my players."

Pimm was a great coach, with tremendous potential, who basically lost control of his program, his players, and ultimately lost his job. We want to wish him well, and also wish new head coach Bob Williams (whose UC Davis squad last year won the NCAA Division II Championship) all the best this season.